Yesterday in her reflection Krista used a quote from Oliver Wendell Holmes that implies there is "simplicity on the other side of complexity..." Hudson Gardner seems to have found the simplicity. I wonder why he wants to make life more complex with Buddhism. http://blog.onbeing.org/post/1...

Perhaps you misunderstand Buddhism. It is all about the simplicity on the other side of the complexity. The point he is making is that the simplicity before the complexity often misses the meaning. The simplicity AFTER the complexity is able to capture the meaning. Buddhism is a way of getting there, something that many people find difficult, so avoid without realizing it.

Perhaps Mr. Holmes should have considered that there may be a need to go through complexity to get to simplicity.

Buddhist philosophy integrated is the ultimate simplicity. To love humanity without attachment, to live with joy but without becoming vested in the reasonably anticipated results or expectations of one's acts--the balance of high thinking and simple living--this is life's only true security, and perhaps paradoxically, it is life's only true freedom.

My personal belief system diverges from Buddhism, but Buddhist philosophy is an important part of what helped me to where I am now. It would be an act of patent ingratitude for me to denounce the ladder which helped me climb to the realization of the correct path for me.

Most of us are ruminating anyway--why not consider and examine concepts which could be useful to our respective journeys before dismissing them? One need not resonate with every component of every proposition for the inquiry to be of some benefit. Even if--upon examination--one finds a path decidedly incorrect for him or her, how can that thoughtful determination be a bad thing? Even though it would unquestionably be easier to shortcut the inquiry process and go directly to the belief system we each respectively need, that is not the reality of the process for most people. Pearls require friction for formation, as do human beings. It is the search which refines us.

I just posed a question on the "ask us; we'll answer" prompt. I didn"t write it down, so I'll just shoot from the hip. I said that I can become aware of something, have an emotional response to it, but not really percieve what it is. The question is, does a lack of awareness hamper perception, or, does lack of perception hamper awareness? I said that I didn't know if there was a definitive answer. Water to drink....

Awareness - the fundamental nature of your mind: being aware. Luminosity. This is the attribute that all conscious beings possess.

Perception - the noticing of something. I 'see' this or that.

Awareness, in the way you are mentioning it, is like hearing something, but not knowing you are hearing it. Seeing something, but not knowing that you are seeing. So in a way, this could hamper your experience; your attention to the object, your ability to interact and to know it, is hampered by lack of directed attention, lack of giving it proper notice and considering it.

Mindfulness (sanskrit: smṛti, another Buddhist idea) is the noticing of this awareness. It is also translated as 'awareness', but it's awareness with an intent, purpose, or object. It does take effort to be mindful and to perceive, absolutely! But it's effort well spent, from my outlook. Most of the time we are aware, but we're not meta-aware (aware of our awareness). That's mindfulness, that's smṛti.

I am sad to read this post - don't let some wild-eyed negative movement hijack your perceptions - take back the day. I feel the same way about people who try to claim ownership of patriotism and more - it still belongs to all of us, not just to those who pass along "like this if you are a patriot" or "forward this if you love your mother." -Not a Religious Fundamentalist

Assumes that homo's productions alienate homo from more basic, uplifting ones. But if all the latter "evolved" because of whatever circumstances, relatively mindlessly, which of the two is more distracting? Maybe illusion is the Chariot.

Not always easy with so many distractions yet one can findsilence and simplicity everywhere. Sometimes only visual yet turning off therest is possible.

As a photographer I crave the challenge of eliminating allthe visual distractions and seeing, then capturing, the silence and simplicitypresent. It is a practice for me ~ not only can I ‘disappear’ into thephotographic process I can disappear into the silence I find.

Thank you Hudson. I did see this series posted on OnBeing some time ago and loved them and today, I reread and relooked at your photos ( I'm also a photographer) and your spirit lifted my spirit today, thank you,Charlotte

I looked through these photos and felt so at home with the journey they took me along. I am a photographer/poet/painter and along my own path I have been given so many gifts of moments like these. thanks, Carolyn

Exactly echoing my feelings as I whirl around the sun for the 70th time on this beautiful blue and green planet. My day began with watching a squawking crow harassing a possum scurrying along the top of the back yard fence. Nothing else needed,